Lace fastener



J. DE PAYE LACE FASTENER Filed March 6, "1923 INVENTOR Je an 12 Faye flw By Y ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Patented Apr. 1, 19241.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN DE PAYE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNlOR TO DOMESTIC APPLIANCE CORR,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LACE FAST'ENER.

Application filed March 6, 1923.

'1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN on PAYE, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the countyand State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in LaceFasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to lace fasteners.

In tying knots on shoe laces to prevent the lace from loosening in theshoe it is necessary to tie a bow knot or some other knot that is easyto open, otherwise a great deal of difiiculty is experienced in openingthe lace. Such knots as bow knots and other knots that are easily openedoften become entangled with objects and are pulled open. Further, in theopening of bow knots and the like if care is not observed they may bedrawn into a knot which is hard to open. The inventor appreciated allthese diificulties and in order to overcome the same he devised thedevice to be subsequently described.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a simple andeificient device for mounting on the ends of a lace to grip the same andhold it taut after it has been tightened in a boot or similar article.

This object is accomplished by providing two channel members soconstructed that a lace may be drawn through them, hingedly connectingthese channel members together by a pin and mounting on the pin a springwhich serves to force the ends of the channel members on one side of thepin together to grip the lace.

These and other objects of the invention Will be more clearly understoodfrom the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a laced shoe, showing the lacefastener mounted in position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the lace fastener;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the lace fastener as shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line l4t, Figure 3.

Serial No. 623,219.

Referring to the above-mentioned drawings, two channel members 10 and 11are shown hinged together by means of a pin 12. These channel members 10and 11 are so shaped that a lace may be drawn through them, as shown inFigure l. The sides 18 of the channel members are triangular in shape,the apex of the triangle being located nearer one end than the other.The pin 12 which projects through the sides 13 of the channel members,hinging them together, is located considerably nearer to one pair ofends than to the other. A spring 14 provided with arms 15 and 16 ismounted on a bushing 17 carried by the pin 12. The arms 15 and 16 of thespring 14: engage corre sponding ends of the channel members, serving toforce them apart thus forcing the opposite ends of the channel memberstogether to grip the ends of the lace 18.

In using this device, the ends of the lace are projected through thechannel members 10 and 11, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Referring toFigure l, when it is desired to tighten the lace, a pull is exerted tothe left, drawing either end of the lace through the channel members. Assoon as the lace is released the spring compels the channel members togrip the lace thus holding it against movement to the right.

I would statein conclusion that while the illustrated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment of my invention I do not limit myselfstrictly to the exact details herein illustrated since manifestly thesame can be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims:

1. A lace fastener, comprising a pair of channel members adapted forreceiving a lace, a pin pivotally connecting the channel members, andmeans for rotating the channel members in opposite directions about thepin, projecting the adjacent ends of the channel members into engagementwith the lace, gripping the same between them.

2. A lace fastener, comprising a pair of channel members presentingtriangular walls, a pin pivotally connecting the walls of said channelmembers, and a spring oooperating With the channel members to rotatethem in opposite directions about the pin, projecting a pair of endsinto engagement With the lace to grip the same.

3. A lace fastener of the class described comprising a pair of channelmembers adapted to receive a lace, a pin hingedly connecting the channelmembers together 50 that they face inward, a spring mounted on the pinand engaging the ends of the 10 channel members, forcing them outward sothat the opposite ends of the channel members grip the lace.

JEAN DE PAYE. In presence of- PAUL N. WESTERBEKE.

